Chart or Graph
Examples:
-
Line charts
-
Scatter charts
-
Pie charts
-
Bar graphs
-
Timelines
Context: There is a lot of homogeneous data to show
the user, possibly in multiple data sets. This is likely to
be needed in a High-density
Information Display, or a Status Display,
or even a Control Panel.
Problem: How should the information be organized?
Forces:
-
The user wants to get a "big picture" quickly.
-
Getting specific data out of it is secondary or unimportant.
-
Graphs facilitate easy comparison of values to each other.
-
Pictures have a bigger immediate, emotional impact than numbers.
Solution: Show the data plotted against time or
some other variable. Plot it together with other variables for further
comparison. [unfinished]
Notes: Tufte's books go into great detail about
these.
Comments to: jtidwell@alum.mit.edu
Last modified May 17, 1999
Copyright (c) 1999 by Jenifer Tidwell. All rights reserved.